Magazine fire arm



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

R. RHODES.

MAGAZINE FIRE ARM.

Patented May 27, 1884.

WITNESSES M N PETERS. FhMo-Lrthogmphcr. Waihingtom D. c.

(N0 Model.)

3 SheetsSheet R. RHODES.

MAGAZINE FIRE ARM.

INVENTUR WITNESEIEE N. PETEns, Phow-Ulhngnp'mr, wmin mn. 0.!1

RICHARD RHODES, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE SPENCER ARMS COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MAGAZINE FIRE-ARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 299,264, datedMay 27, 1884.

Application filed July 31,1883.

T0 on whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD RHODES, of Hartford, Connecticut, mechanical engineer, have invented an Improvement in Magazine- Guns, of which the following is a specification.

This improvement relates to the class of magazine-guns in which the motion to actuate the reloading apparatus is derived from a slide reciprocating in a line parallel with the axial line of the barrel, which slide is operated by one hand, while the other hand grasps the stock and holds it against the shoulder of the person using the gun. In former magazineguns of this character the-breech-block rocked upon a horizontal axis, and a reciprocating slide was employed to rock the breech-block in one direction and a spring to rock the breech-block in the opposite direction. In the present case the breech-block rocks upon a vertical axis in a plane across the top of the receiver, and in line with the barrel, and its movements in both directions are effected by positive means.

My invention consists in the combination of a breech-block rocking upon a vertical axis, with an automatically-operating check for controlling the delivery of cartridges from the cartridge box or magazine, and preventing a cartridge from getting in the way of the breech-block as the latter rocks inward toward its firing position in the rear of the chamber.

In the loading operation the first part of the backward excursion of the reciprocating slide rocks the breech-block laterally outward, and

the next part extracts the empty shell from the chamber and throws it out of the receiver, and by releasing a check permits a fresh cartridge to be thrust upward by the ejecting- "spring of a cartridge-box, the mouth of which is inserted in a slot in the bottom of the receiver,and in which box the cartridges are superposed sidewise. The last portion of the backward movement of the slide sets the hammer at fulleock. The first portion of the forward excursion of the slide carries the uppermost cartridge into the chamber and actuates the check for holding back the other cartridges in the box, and the latter portion of its excursion rocks the breech-block into the posi- (No model.)

tion which it occupies when the gun is ready for firing. The cartridge-box is of the trapezoidal form heretofore employed for containing cartridges superposed sidewise. It is detachable, and. is held in position in the usual manner by a spring-latch, the thumb-piece of which projects into the space within the trigger-guard, in front of the trigger, so that in the act of detaching the cartridge-box the latter is grasped by the hand while the thumb presses upon the latch, thus releasing the latch and permitting the box to be detached, so that a box containing a fresh supply of cartridges may be inserted in its place.

The accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, are as follows:

Figure l is an elevation of the right-hand side of the receiver and adjoining portions of the stock and barrel. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the line S S on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a left-hand side elevation upon a larger scale, partly in section, showing the latch for holding the magazine in place, and also showing the bell-crank lever for starting the shell from the chamber. Fig. l is a transverse section of the receiver and magazine through the line T T on Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through the line U U 011 Fig.3, showing the under side of the breech-block, and showing the breech-block thrown outward. Fig. 61's a section similar to that shown in Fig. 5, but showing the breech-block swung inward into the firing position. Fig. 7 is aview, )artly in section, of the under side of the forward end of the breech-block, showing the hinged plate bearing against its seat upon the end of the breech-block. Fig. 8 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 7, showing the hinged plate rocked outward from its seat by the turning of the cam-shaft upon which it bears. Fig. 9 is the front end view of the breech-block. Fig. 10 is a transverse vertical section through the line V V on Fig. 3. Fig. 11 is atransverse vertical section through line T T on Fig. 3, showing the breech-block swung outward. Fig. 12 is a central longitudinal horizontal section of the chamber and adjoining portion of the receiver. Figs. 13 and 14 are horizontal longitudinal sections of the righthand side wall of the receiver, partly through the line V V on Fig. 1, but showing the different positions the lip G of the check is made to assume by varying the position of the spiral cam formed upon the inner end of the hub gof the crank-lever 9. Fig. 15 is an elevation of the inner end of the hub g and the inner side of the crank-lever 9. Fig. 16 is an elevation of the inner side of the rear portion of the left-hand arm K of the actuating-slide, and Fig. 17 is a top view thereof. Fig. 18 is an elevation of the inside of therear portion of the right-hand arm K of the actuating-slide, and Fig. 19 is a top view thereof.

The drawings represent the receiver A and portions of the barrel B and stock 0 of the gun. The receiver is closed at the top, a, but slotted at the bottom, a, to admit the mouth of the trapezoidal box D, for containing a supply of cartridges superposed sidewise. The upper portion of the left-hand side wall, (o of the receiver is slotted to allow space for the breech-block E, and the right-hand side wall, cf, of the receiver'is correspondingly slotted to allow the empty shell to be thrown out of the receiver in the act of reloading, and also to allow access to the chamber for the purpose of permitting the insertion of a cartridge into the chamber by hand, if desired. The stock in the rear of the receiver is suitably recessed to receive the usual lock mechanism, the hammer-arm F of which is provided with an extension, which projects into the space within the trigger-guard, in front of the trigger, for the purpose of enabling the hammer to be cooked by hand. The cartridge-box D is held in position by a spring-latch, d, the thumbpiece (1 of which projects into the forward por- .tion of the space within the trigger-guard, in front of the hammer-arm. The cartridges are held in the box by the usual stationary lips,

D,bearing upon the base of the uppermost cartridge, and by the movable check G, the inwardly-turned lip G of which is adapted 'to bear upon the shank of the uppermost cartridge. The check G is a tilting plate seated in a recess formed in the inner side of the righthand sidewall of the receiver. Its upper edge bends inward, forming the lip G. Its outer side is provided with the outwardly-projecting ear G, which projects through a slot in the wall of the receiver into the path of the righthand arm K of the forked slide K. By the contact of the car G with the inner side of the arm K the check G istilted inward, carrying the lip G partially across the mouth of the cartridgebox. This contact continues, and the resulting position of the check is maintained until the arm K has so far progressed in its backward excursion as to have partially withdrawn the empty shell from the chamber, at which time a groove, G, formed longitudi-' nallyin the inner side of the arm K, is brought opposite to the ear G thus discontinuing the bearing upon the ear G ,and thereby releasing the check G. By the further backward movement of the arm K the empty shell is withdrawn from the chamber and discharged from the receiver. The forward ends of the cartridges in the magazine are then tilted upward by the action of the ejecting-spring in the bottom of the cartridge box or magazine. In rising, the pressure of the shank of the uppermost cartridge upon the edge of the lip G rocks the released check G outward, and the ear G continues to project into the groove G during the latter partof the backward excursion of the arm K, and during so much of its forward excursion as ensues before the base of the cartridge which is being inserted in the chamber has been pushed forward beyond the shank of the cartridge lying next underneath. By the collision of the ear G with the rear end wall of the groove G the check G is rocked inward, and is thereby made to hold the forward end of the next cartridge down out of the way of the breech-block, so that the breechblock may be swung inward to its firing posi tion.

It will of course be understood that, without departing from the invention, various means -may be employed for automatically governing the operation of the check G, the essential characteristics of which operation are that the check shall be free to move outward soon after the commencement of the operation of ex,-- tracting the empty shell from the chamber, so that the magazine-spring can throw up the forward end of the uppermost cartridge, and that just before the conclusion of the operation of inserting the fresh cartridge into the chamber, or coincidently therewith, the check shall, move inward, in order to hold or push the next cartridge down out of the path of the breech-block.

In case it should be desired to prevent the feeding of cartridges from the magazine, there is provided the crank-lever g, the axis or hub g of which projects through the hole 9 formed in the right-hand side wall of the receiver, and bears upon the edge of the check G. The outer side of the right-hand wall of the receiver is recessed to allow space for the swing of the crank-lever g, and the crank-leveris held in its seat by the removable plate A, screwed upon the right-hand side wall of the receiver. Theinner end of the hub g of the crank-lever g is formed into a spiral cam, the projecting portion of which, when the crank-lever is turned forward,bears upon the edge of the check G and forces it inward, thus stopping the ejection of cartridges from the magazine, while by turning the crank-lever backward the projecting portion of the end of the hub g is removed from the edge of the check G, and the latter is thus left free to be acted upon alternately by the arm K, and the cartridges successively ejected from the magazine, as has been described. The front wall, a, of the receiver is vertically slotted from the mouth of the chamber 6 downward to receive the shortarm of the bellcrank lever H. The upper end of the short arm h of this lever is made to form a portion of the seat, against which bears a portion of the inner edge of the flange of the cartridge inserted into the chamber. The horizontal arm h of the bell-crank lever H is provided at its rear end with the upwardlyprojecting car If, for engagement by the instrumentality which at the proper time rocks the horizontal arm h downward, and thus rocks the vertical arm h backward, and assists in starting the cartridge-shell from the chamber. The operation of starting the shell out of the chamber is participated in by the extractor I, which is pivoted to the right-hand arm K of the forked slide K, the left-hand arm K of which is provided near its inner end with the inwardlyproj ecting pin 7c. The pin his the instrumentality for operating the bell-crank lever H in the manner and for the purpose which has been described. The right-hand arm K of the forked slide is slotted to receive the extractorI. The forward end of the shankiofthe extractoris secured to the arm Kby the vertical pivot i. The rear end of the shank of the ex tractor bends upward and joins the inwardlyprojecting horizontal plate i, the inner face of which is provided with the two jaws and i the space between these jaws being the notch for receiving the flange of the cartridge. The forward jaw, f, is the extractingjaw, and to (table it to perform its function the extractor is at the proper time so rocked inward that the jaws are carried astride the flange of the shell lying in the chamber. The rocking inward of the extractor is effected by the collision of the rounded rear end of the plate F with the forward end of the stiff fiat spring I, which is screwed fast to the outer side of the removable plate A. The shell, having been started from the chamber by the combined action of the extractor and the bell-crank lever H, is carried backward as the forked slide continues its backward excursion until the flange of the shell strikes against the shoulder I formed near the rear end of the inner side wall of the breech-block. By the further backward movement of the extractor, after this collision has taken place, the shell is tilted sidewise and thrown laterally out of the receiver. As soon as the shell has been thus thrown out of the receiver, the uppermost cartridge contained in the magazine is thrown upward by the magazine-spring, so that its flange enters the notch between the jaws t" and 1", and therefore, when the forked slide is moved forward, the jaw 'i carries forward the cartridge thus thrown up ward from the magazine and pushes it into the chamber 6. By the last part of the backward movement of the forked slide the pin k is carried against and pushes back the hammerarm, and thus sets the hammer at full-cock. The swinging of the breech-block is effected by the action of the ear 7c, projecting upward from the left-hand arm K of the forked slide, near its rear end. The ear engages the camgroove E, formed in the under side of the breech-b1ock. The forward portion of this cam-groove, as will be seen, curves inward from a point near the outer side of thebreechblock to a point near the inner side, and then continues backward in a straight line parallel with the inner side of the breech-block. This slot is so shaped and located that when the ear It occupies its forward position the breechblock is rocked inward, so that the plate on its forward end bears against the base of the cartridge in the chamber and the firing-pin is brought in line with the center thereof. The plate (2 on the forward end of the breech-block swings upon a vertical axis. \Vhen the forked slide is pulled back, the plate is free to bear upon its seat on the end of the breech-block; but in the last portion of the motion of the ear k the plate 0 is rocked outward by the turning of the cam e, seated transversely in the end of the breech-block beneath the plate 6. This cam is rocked by means of a bifurcated crank-lever, a", one end of which is secured to the end of the cam-shaft. The under side of the breech-block is recessed to allow space for the sway of the crank-lever c, and when the cranklever is thrown forward both of its jaws, e" and 6, project slightly across the cam-groove E. By the first portion of the backward movement of the forked slide the rear end of the ear kis brought into collision with the rear jaw, c", of the crank-lever, and thus rocks the cranklever backward until, by the action upon the cam-shaft e of the flat spring 0 secured to the inner side of the breech-block, the bifurcated crank-lever is swung so far back that the jaw e" is carried clear of the cam-groove E. In this position, however, the jaw c of the bifurcated crank-lever continues to ex tend over the cam-groove E, sothat in the forward movement of the forked slide it is in position to be engaged and carried forward by the ear is. The usual firing-pin, J, is inserted longitudinally through the breech-block, and the plate a is centrally perforated to admit the forward end, j, of the firing-pin. The axis upon which the breech block swings is afforded by the vertical screw E which is inserted through a hole in the top of the receiver and screwed into the hub E of the breechblock. cessed to. form a bearing for the hub of the breech block, which is concentric with its arms.

I have made an application for Letters Patent, No. 121,765, for an improvement in magazine fire-arms, jointly with O. M. Spencer, dated February 23, 1884, and I do not here claim anything therein claimed.

1 claim as my invention 1. A vertically-pivoted breech-block swinging in a horizontal plane at the top of the receiver, and means for actuating the same, as set forth, and a magazine inserted in the bottom of the receiver for containing a supply of cartridges superposed sidewise, in combination with a magazinecheck and means for automatically releasing the said check at the proper time, and afterward moving it into the path through which the cartridges are fed upward from the magazine, for the purpose of The rear wall of the receiver is reholding down the uppermost cartridge in the magazine out of the way of the breech-block when the breech-block is swinging inward into the firing position.

2. The receiver A and the magazine or cartridge-box D, for containing a supply of eartridges superposed sidewise, in combination with the cheek G, provided With the ear G and the sliding arm K, provided upon a por- 10 tion of its inner side with the longitudinal groove G, for receiving the ear G and thus at the proper time allowing the check G to swing outward and release the uppermost cartridge in the magazine, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

RICHARD RHODES.

Witnesses:

GEO. COBURN, GEO. H. DAY. 

